Here's my story
Posted: Tue 4. Aug 2015, 22:25
Hi All,
A bit new to the MEL world, and still trying to learn as much as I can about these cars/engines. But perhaps you'll be interested in my story.
Three years ago, I bought a vintage finned fiberglass boat, in need of restoration. As with most restoration projects, other things got in the way and I just now finished it about two months ago. I quickly realized I needed a vintage car to pull it with, but I didn't know what. My dad has always been into vintage Jaguars, so that's about all I've ever known, and they aren't quite capable towing beasts. I love having a story behind things, and without any American V8s in my past, I wasn't sure where to start.
Then, one day, I was going through some old family pictures and saw it. The '59 Merc. At that instant, I knew that was the car I wanted.
My grandparents bought a '59 Monterey off the dealer lot in August of 1959, because as my mom said, the peach and brown '57 Monterey they had was a lemon. The '59 was a 64A two door hardtop, finished in Charcoal Gray Metallic, and had a 383 and Merc-o-matic under the hood. It also featured power steering, power brakes, heater/defroster, whitewall tires, tinted windshield, windshield washer, backup lights, courtesy lights, wheel covers, and Monterey optional trim. All for a sticker price of $3437.30. The car was assembled at Wayne Assembly and delivered to Mulligan Lincoln Mercury in Dearborn, since my grandfather worked at Ford. They kept the car as far as I can tell through around late 1965, when it was traded/sold on a new model Merc.
In going through some old automotive paperwork from my grandparents (we sorted through and kept anything automotive related when they passed away), I found the original window sticker, dealer bill of sale, registrations, repair receipts, and multiple gas receipts. That seemed to seal my fate, this is the exact car I need. My grandparents weren't huge car people, but were borderline hoarders, so I'm very lucky to have all this paperwork. And so much just on this one car surprisingly. I've since carefully mounted most of those papers in a shadow box that I can hang on my wall.
Last winter, I did look at a Merc around here, or rather the rare Canadian cousin, the Monarch Lucerne. All original with 10,900 original miles on the 383, it was a beauty. I should have bought it, but he wouldn't budge on his price and I knew the minor details that would differ it from a Merc would bother me.
In the mean time, I was with my dad at a junkyard, in search of some '66 Mustang parts, for his latest project. I spotted a '59 Monterey two door hardtop cruiser sitting down by the swamp, with 87k, which has sat there since at least 1977. The car was in sad, sad shape, already picked over quite a bit and rotting into the ground. After many trips to and from, the yard cut off the rear clip for me, as well as pulled the what I've determined is the original 312 Y-block and Merc-o-Matic. Plus a bunch of misc parts, and I plan to go back for more yet. My ultimate plan is to create a couch out of the rear clip, using the car's rear seat as a frame for the seat, and then create coffee/end tables out of the engine and trans. The lights will be operational, and the radio will be mounted inside behind the taillight to be fully functional.
I have all the parts to make it happen, except for the trim clips for the side molding. They're either missing or broken. Just now need the time. Exterior will be Charcoal Gray Metallic, like my grandparents' car, and the seat will be red and black. I think I will use trunk mat plaid to line the inside. I will need some help with correct colors of things as I get into it.
So I'm still searching for my own complete '59 Merc, ideally a two door hardtop, but the basement projects will keep me busy in the mean time.
Since I'm sure you're anxious for pictures:
My favorite pic, of the Merc in from of my grandparents' house as it was being built, which I now have:
The junkyard Merc:
Roughly what it'll look like, after MANY more hours of work. I do have the bumper, just haven't mounted it yet.
A bit new to the MEL world, and still trying to learn as much as I can about these cars/engines. But perhaps you'll be interested in my story.
Three years ago, I bought a vintage finned fiberglass boat, in need of restoration. As with most restoration projects, other things got in the way and I just now finished it about two months ago. I quickly realized I needed a vintage car to pull it with, but I didn't know what. My dad has always been into vintage Jaguars, so that's about all I've ever known, and they aren't quite capable towing beasts. I love having a story behind things, and without any American V8s in my past, I wasn't sure where to start.
Then, one day, I was going through some old family pictures and saw it. The '59 Merc. At that instant, I knew that was the car I wanted.
My grandparents bought a '59 Monterey off the dealer lot in August of 1959, because as my mom said, the peach and brown '57 Monterey they had was a lemon. The '59 was a 64A two door hardtop, finished in Charcoal Gray Metallic, and had a 383 and Merc-o-matic under the hood. It also featured power steering, power brakes, heater/defroster, whitewall tires, tinted windshield, windshield washer, backup lights, courtesy lights, wheel covers, and Monterey optional trim. All for a sticker price of $3437.30. The car was assembled at Wayne Assembly and delivered to Mulligan Lincoln Mercury in Dearborn, since my grandfather worked at Ford. They kept the car as far as I can tell through around late 1965, when it was traded/sold on a new model Merc.
In going through some old automotive paperwork from my grandparents (we sorted through and kept anything automotive related when they passed away), I found the original window sticker, dealer bill of sale, registrations, repair receipts, and multiple gas receipts. That seemed to seal my fate, this is the exact car I need. My grandparents weren't huge car people, but were borderline hoarders, so I'm very lucky to have all this paperwork. And so much just on this one car surprisingly. I've since carefully mounted most of those papers in a shadow box that I can hang on my wall.
Last winter, I did look at a Merc around here, or rather the rare Canadian cousin, the Monarch Lucerne. All original with 10,900 original miles on the 383, it was a beauty. I should have bought it, but he wouldn't budge on his price and I knew the minor details that would differ it from a Merc would bother me.
In the mean time, I was with my dad at a junkyard, in search of some '66 Mustang parts, for his latest project. I spotted a '59 Monterey two door hardtop cruiser sitting down by the swamp, with 87k, which has sat there since at least 1977. The car was in sad, sad shape, already picked over quite a bit and rotting into the ground. After many trips to and from, the yard cut off the rear clip for me, as well as pulled the what I've determined is the original 312 Y-block and Merc-o-Matic. Plus a bunch of misc parts, and I plan to go back for more yet. My ultimate plan is to create a couch out of the rear clip, using the car's rear seat as a frame for the seat, and then create coffee/end tables out of the engine and trans. The lights will be operational, and the radio will be mounted inside behind the taillight to be fully functional.
I have all the parts to make it happen, except for the trim clips for the side molding. They're either missing or broken. Just now need the time. Exterior will be Charcoal Gray Metallic, like my grandparents' car, and the seat will be red and black. I think I will use trunk mat plaid to line the inside. I will need some help with correct colors of things as I get into it.
So I'm still searching for my own complete '59 Merc, ideally a two door hardtop, but the basement projects will keep me busy in the mean time.
Since I'm sure you're anxious for pictures:
My favorite pic, of the Merc in from of my grandparents' house as it was being built, which I now have:
The junkyard Merc:
Roughly what it'll look like, after MANY more hours of work. I do have the bumper, just haven't mounted it yet.